Leave your VHS sex tape at the door

DROP BOX (2006)

Reviewed By Jerry Saravia

I never thought that I'd see a movie featuring a character as sneaky, duplicitious and as mischievous as Randal from "Clerks." For those of you who know what I am referring to, Randal was an obnoxious, though affable video store clerk who unapologetically humiliated customers and his own small circle of friends. Well, Tom in the film "Drop Box" is twice as obnoxious, to the point that you are unsure how he can still have a job as a video store clerk.

"Drop Box" is a day in the life of Tom (David Cormican) working at a video store. He is the slacker type with no pretense of ever moving forward in life, and no real ambitions except to make customers angry. He opens the store late, forces customers to pay late fees they don't owe (though at least one does), deletes customer accounts without blinking an eye and, in short, makes no real money for the store (he even gives away twist endings to movies like "The Sixth Sense"). Of course, the customers are not the most understanding so who can blame Tom for his casual mean-spiritedness.

One customer can be more pushy than others. Her name is Mindy (Rachel Sehl), who turns out to be a spoiled, Britney Spears pop diva-type who wants to re-rent a certain Mariah Carey vehicle. Only this VHS tape is not actually the movie ("Glitter" by the way) but rather some nifty lesbian porn she shot and mistakenly returned. Tom says he doesn't recognize this pop diva who's sold 2 million albums. Of course, after Mindy pleads again and again, Tom decides to help this star if she exposes her breasts and watches the tape with him, and in front of customers! If not, he stands to make a killing selling it on ebay.

Okay, so you see that Randal might never have gone that far. Tom is unlikable but not without some measure of charm or humor, and you can see how Mindy begins to like him. These characters can get on your nerves yet thanks to newcomers David Cormican and Rachel Sehl, they make them human and empathetic enough to forgive their endless banter.

"Drop Box" is a Canadian independent film that deserves a chance to be seen in theatres. Though it has a limited setting (it all takes place in video store) and inexperienced actors, who cares? So did Kevin Smith's debut film "Clerks," which "Drop Box" only shares a slight kinship with. Though "Drop Box" is not quite as shrewdly funny as "Clerks," it can stand head and tails above most comedies that try too hard to make us laugh. Thanks to the writer-director team, Anesty and Spiros Carasoulos, "Drop Box" is a major pleasure and a genuine find, not unlike what you may find on a video store shelf hidden behind "Glitter."